The Deputy Speaker of Edo House of Assembly, Rt.Hon. Maria Edeko on Thursday called on celebrities in Nigeria to steer clear of drugs to enable them stay focused in their chosen career.
Edeko made the call when the management and members of the Twinsporium Entertainment Agency paid her a courtesy visit at the Edo House of Assembly complex in Benin City.
She noted that the menace of drug abuse had in the past brought devastating consequences including physical and mental health problems, financial difficulties and death to many successful celebrities in Nigeria.
“As professionals, one thing you people must avoid as celebrities is drugs because drugs destroy irretrievably. Most of our greatest artists today have been destroyed by drugs. You can make billions from your career and the billions will go the way it came if you do drugs.
“So I am happy to see a group of people who are committed to discovering raw talents, develop the talents and empowering these youths to earn a living. At the end of the day, what we need is something to keep the younger generation busy to enable them live a comfortable life.”
The Deputy Speaker, who also warned against human trafficking and sexual harassment, said human trafficking and sexual exploitation of both genders had been the bane of the nation.
“As you are aware, we have been plagued by the menace of human trafficking and exploitation. In the past, people could travel abroad to study and they will return back to Nigeria.
“But today, it is no longer so. People now engage in human trafficking, sexual exploitation to earn a living. God has blessed us with everything but we Africans are selfish people. As long as Africans continue to think about themselves before the common good of the nation, we are going nowhere.”
Edeko, however, called on the beauty Queen and other contestants to carry themselves with dignity and respect, adding that those were the only qualities that would get them to their destinations.
She said “professionals must be people that are seeking knowledge. As you are going into this contest, go into the internet, search for those qualities you need to possess to get you the crown not just beauty.
“In a contest like this, your communication skills, intelligence and self-respect would be put to test. It is not in nudity that you are beautiful, beauty is an inner thing.
“So, I want you to hold yourself in high esteem. And for you the organizers, you must not sexually abuse them. If anybody sexually tries to abuse you, come to me, I will send the person to jail.
“I can see here that you are training them in acting, modelling and event management. Developing human beings is the greatest thing you can do for mankind,” she said.
According to her, I shall convey to Mr speaker that you were here and it will be good to create time to see him too so that as a house we will be supporting the development of our children.
“These are the legacies we can leave behind. This is empowerment for our children, it is something very serious and very important,” she said.
The Majority leader of the house, Charity Aiguobarueghian and the member representing Igueben , Inegbebor Ojie, urged the beauty Queens and the contestants to be good ambassadors of the brand they represent.
Earlier, the President of the Twinsporium Entertainment Agency, Udo Peter Oshomah said that the primary objective of the agency is to discover raw talents in the entertainment industry.
Oshomah explained that the agency helps to develop talents in modelling, acting choreography and event planning among others.
“We are redefining the ethics of modelling and pageantry by propagating our cultural values and morality with respect to the dignity of womanhood.
He told the deputy Speaker that the agency was a platform for young girls and boys to harness their potentials in the entertainment industry.
According to him, the visit was to present the Queens and contestants of Miss Beauty Pageant International 2023/24, models of Twinsporium Entertainment Agency to the Deputy Speaker for words of encouragement.
